A Shadow of the Past
by tgainsbrough
Summary: As Hagi waits for Saya to wake up, he wanders into memories of his past. He returns back to his favorite place in the world, Paris. Here he remembers everything that happened before he met Saya. This story was written for my friend and her fiancé's five year anniversary. Hagi/OC fanfiction.
1. Chapter 1 - A Familiar Figure Lurks

_Author's Notes: This story was created for my friend and her fiancé's five year anniversary that they are celebrating today. Hagi happens to be one of her favorite characters and for Halloween this year she dressed up as a gypsy. I felt it only fitting to celebrate their anniversary with a Hagi gypsy fanfic. I hope you enjoy it._

_Note: This story does not follow any Blood+ canon. This fanfic was created purely for my amusement and was not researched or doted upon. It's just a fun back story about Hagi. It is not related to The AB- Project in anyway._

**Chapter 1: A Familiar Figure Lurks**

Hagi stood at the door to the Miyagusuku Tomb. Saya had fallen asleep again. She was safe and protected by Kai. He had thirty years to wander the world before coming back to Saya's side. He didn't want to leave her.

Hagi sighed into the cool breeze that fell on Okinawa during the balmy fall. Saya had been asleep for over a month and nothing had stirred in the crypt ever since Kai left her there. He placed his bandaged hand on the door and ran it down a ways before taking another deep breath and disappearing into the night.

He knew where he was going, the place he loved to visit the most that held many memories for him and gave him the desired comfort, Paris.

Upon arriving in Paris, Hagi rested in the glow of the city soaking in its magnificence. The glistening lights twinkled like stars as if they were an extension of the night sky. He never told Saya why he loved Paris so much. He rested on the top of a building near the town square. This city held so many of his memories and the only memory he considered happy before Saya. If magic existed, Hagi believed this was the only place in the world that it lived.

Hagi traveled back to France to look for his parents after Saya had fallen asleep for the first time. He never left her side for long and it had been so many years since she had fallen asleep. He wanted to know why he had been sold, why they never looked back and he had always wondered what had happened to them. Even though they chose a loaf of bread over him, he still loved them very much, but did they?

He had traveled back so many years ago, to find a family friend who was then in her late forties what had happened after he was taken. She told him everything.

* * *

On a beautiful fall day, the birds were chirping as Hagi and his parents woke up before dawn. Hagi was an only child; even if his parents could have more, they couldn't afford them. Hagi was already too much for them to bear. He knew this and that's why he worked so hard to earn them money.

He practiced his dance routine and the lyrics he had to sing. They had a performance to do the following night. The last few performances had brought them up with a little more than nothing. They didn't have enough money for food for the week.

Hagi inspected a hole in one of his gloves that was missing a few fingers; it was a dirty navy blue. His clothes were filled with holes and engulfed in dirt. He wiggled his toes inside of his boots that were two sizes too large for him. But this was all he had; all his family had. He had lived this way all of his life, not knowing if he would have food tomorrow. Even as a child begging, because of who he was, no one wanted to give him any money.

But tomorrow, they performed in Paris, the city of hopes and dreams. He was more excited than usual because for the first time ever he would get to be under the beautiful lights of the city.

As night neared they drew ever closer to the fate-filled city and Hagi looked outside of the horse-driven cart to see Paris. His heart filled with excitement as he could feel butterflies dancing in his stomach. _I'm home._ He thought.

Once they settled in, they met other bands of travelers that had gathered in a less crowded place in the city to set up camp for the night. Hagi's parents pulled their cart in near the rest and gathered around the fire. Many other children were here laughing and giggling as one older woman told scary stories.

Hagi sat down next to a girl a little older than him. Her hair was done up in a bun with a scarf wrapped around her head. She had her legs pulled up to her chest as she listened to the storyteller. She turned her head and smiled kindly at him as he sat down. Her stunning brown eyes imitated the dancing flames of the campfire. Hagi's heartbeat quickened.

"My name is Kezia." She said as she waited quietly for him to speak. Hagi stared at the floor too nervous to answer. "It's okay; it's my first time here too. Many of these families have been visiting for years but I just came here last week. The other kids don't like me much." The fire's light lit up her face as the storyteller had thrown something into the flames. It was then he noticed tears welling up in her eyes. He looked back down at the ground.

"The name's Hagi." A blush flew over his cheeks as he quickly glanced at her. A smile had grown on her face and she was blushing too. There was a moment of silence between them before she flung her arms around his neck hugging him.

"Thanks." She whispered before letting go. The rest of the evening was spent with the two of them blushing and staring at the cobblestone.

The next morning Hagi, woke up to see the smoldering embers of a dying fire. The dew rested gently on the cobblestone street. The morning smelled like it had rained but there was no storm last night. He stretched his arms out with a yawn and then they dropped to his side. That's when he noticed that Kezia was lying next to him. It was awfully cold last night she must have huddle against him for warmth. He smiled looking down at her until his parents walked up to him and then he sprang up as he fast as he could as he turned beet red. His parents just laughed.

"We are heading out to market, seeing if we can get any food today. Stay here with the group, okay?" His mother caressed the side of his head with her hand covered in what was left of her glove. She gave him a kiss on the forehead like she always did and his parents left. He sat back down deep in thought.

"Hagi?" He heard a groan behind him. He peered down at the beautiful girl snuggled under the covers. She beamed up at him. "Good morning!" She giggled as Hagi turned pretending to admire the side of his cart. She sat up and leaned against his back. He jumped a little in shock at first then settle down into the warmth.

"Hey, Hagi?" She asked questioningly. "Do you think we could go for a walk this morning?" Hagi nodded silently.

After a long walk, Kezia led Hagi down to her favorite place in all of Paris. It was a quiet place by the Seine River, where the light didn't reach the land but the river sparkled from the sun's rays. The trees cover the whole area on this side of the river; the bushes hid them well as they sat down on the grass.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Kezia asked as she gazed out over the river watching the crowds that had gathered for picnics. "Don't you wish you could be like them for one day? Have a homeand be free of all the care and worry we have to live with everyday?" Her gaze fell down to her shoes which had holes in them and you could see her toes peeking through. Hagi slid his hand onto hers but he stared out at the park.

"No." Hagi answered plainly. "If I had what they did, I would have never been with my family, learned how to dream, wonder, and live." He turned to look at her. "I wouldn't have met you." Shock came over her face and then she turned pretending to inspect the grass next to her. She couldn't think of any words to say. "I still wish to have a home, but I don't wish to change my life and what I have done and gone through. I only want to change the future."

A musician across the way started to play music. Everyone sat to listening but Hagi stood up. Kezia's eyes followed him and watched as he offered her a hand. Her cheeks got a soft pink blush as her hand slid into his. He helped her to her feet and took her other hand leading her into a gentle, ill-prepared dance that he was making up along the way. She followed him gracefully barely tripping up. As the music stopped, they slowed. They both blushed then backed away from each other.

"Well it's getting late; we should head back to camp." She suggested as she lost herself back at the park. She changed her gaze to him and he nodded once. The whole way back they held hands not exchanging one word, just relishing in the moment.

After they arrived back, the other performers helped them pick a prime spot for his family and then they prepared to leave. Hagi turned around to say goodbye to Kezia.

"I'll see you later tonight!" Hagi waved as they rounded the corner.

As his parents set up, he wandered around the city square seeing many people walking around in beautiful clothing carrying expensive objects. He knew this was the place for him. There were so many happy, cheerful individuals not having to wander; having a place to call home. He hoped to raise enough money for his parents to find a house and be like all of these families he had seen.

"Hagi." His mother called. He spun around on the balls of his feet to see the cart all set up for them. He rushed over to join his family. Even though he and his parents had a hard life, he wouldn't give up his family for anything in the whole world.

The music started to play. Hagi stood still at first listening to the beat, and then his body was whisked away into another land of beauty. His arms and legs moved so gracefully that he awed the crowd. They clapped and applauded at all of his moves, but then he stopped and the crowd grew in wonder. He had started singing! While it wasn't the most beautiful, on-key voice they had ever heard, his passion for the words and his expressions while singing moved many to tears. As the music stopped he stood there in applause and filled with joy.

The world faded back to where he was; only a few had gathered and while they were applauding it wasn't as enthusiastically as he was dreaming it to be. But his parents didn't stop him from bowing several more times and then doing a few more dance moves. The crowd left only a single coin. His parents let out a deep sigh and looked at each other in utter bereavement.

As the crowd dispersed in the darkness, Hagi could see a figure standing there staring at him, before the man disappeared into the night. He stood there for a moment in confusion. What an odd man he had just seen. He was dressed in a deep wine colored suit, his face was wearing a creepy smile and his eyes were tinted blood red. He didn't seem normal at all.


	2. Chapter 2 - Mon Amour, Paris

_Author's Notes: This won't be a long fanfic, but I am enjoying writing it seeing how Hagi would be as a child. I have done just a little research on some points, so I guess I am doting on it a bit. Teehee. The title means: My Love, Paris in French._

**Chapter 2: Mon Amour, Paris.**

Hagi woke up with a fright, sweat dripping down his face as he panted. His eyes adjusted quickly to the moonlight seeing the familiar camp he had stayed at for the last week. His eyes surveyed the bodies to see if anyone had woken up, but no one was glanced down at the sleeping Kezia. His heart fluttered as he sighed in happiness. He had spent almost every waking moment with her for the past week. She showed him all the wonders of Paris including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre Palace; they even discovered some new ones together.

He learned in this short time that she had lost her parents about a year ago. They were accused of stealing, caught and then beaten to death by the guards. After the terrible incident, she was taken in by her aunt and her family. They weren't really close with her parents, so they only brought her in to help them earn more money. She worked hard to live up to their expectations of her, but she seemed to fail them at every turn. Her cousins were the worst to her; they were much older and were ready to start families of their own. They loved to pick on her and make fun of her. They enjoyed teasing her that she was now an orphan with no family of her own. They would call her childish even when she asked for a drink of water. They only left her scraps of food and gave her left over clothing. Even with all of these problems, she had a smile plastered on her face. She would go out of her way to make others happy, even those that were mean to her.

Hagi got up from his bed and slowly tiptoed through the camp, being careful not to make a sound. He hopped over the last person landing in silence. Air filled is lungs with the sweet smell of water. He ventured over to the street light that was illuminating the road. Their camp was very close to the river; sometimes he would spend the night staring into the deep black abyss. Crouching near the canal, he spotted a frog and reached out to it. The frog jumped towards him and then bounded away disappearing into the void that was the river. It was then Hagi heard the footsteps approaching. Hagi rushed to his feet and clung to a nearby tree, which was close to the street, as he squinted into the darkness. In the obscurity, there hobbled a decrepit old man in a faded black robe holding a tattered book in his left hand. Hagi stepped out into the light from the lamp. The elderly man came to a stop.

"My child, what are you doing out at this hour?" His soft voice faltered. Hagi's eyes shifted down the alley to where they had made camp at. The man glanced for a moment and realized what Hagi was. "Ahh, my child, do not worry I will not tell a soul. By chance, is there anything you need?" Hagi shook his head. "If you need anything just come and find me." The feeble man held out a small torn piece of paper.

Hagi hesitantly took it and nodded at the man who had already vanished into the darkness. He could still hear the sound of his footsteps fading away as he gazed at the tiny paper. The paper had the street name of a place near the edge of town. The writing included a landmark and a brief one word description "church." He peered into the night before giving a fleeting look back at camp as he faded into the shadows.

Hagi spent a great amount of time drifting through corridors and alleyways attempting to locate the concealed building written on the page. By the time he eventually happened upon the dilapidated looking residence, it was getting closer to sunrise. The structure appeared to have not have received proper care in a long while. Ivy clung to its brick-like structure, as rust bred on the metal. He stared at the torn sheet for a moment assessing if this was the right location. It was indeed correct.

Hagi snuck over to peer through the window. There were many candles lighting up the home. He could make out six figures shuffling around in the dim light. Five of the figures were women covered from head to toe in a black garment, but around their faces and shoulders, they wore something that resembled a white hood. It was an odd sort of attire to wear; it wasn't normal everyday clothing or a unique performance outfit, it was closer to what people wore when they buried the dead.

At the head of the table, sat the man he had seen earlier in the streets. They were all sitting down to eat. What a strange hour to eat, though it was getting close to dawn. He wondered why they were up so early. The food on the table wasn't much but it was a lot more than Hagi had ever seen at a dinner table.

As Hagi was gawking at the food, one of the nuns had noticed him and rose from her seat. At this, he started to back away. As he turned to leave, he heard a voice call out to him.

"Young man. Wait." The nun gutturally beckoned. Hagi glanced over his shoulder. She could sense he wasn't going to stay. "Here, at least take this." She turned around and pulled out a cloth bag. Hagi tentatively twirled around. He reached out for the bag as he cautiously ambled towards her. As he neared the doorway, a smile caressed her fragile cheeks. He could see that she was an older lady; her face was obscured by wrinkles and her teeth misaligned and tarnished from old age, but her grin and the tender glow on her face was uplifting. Hagi then snatched the bag from her hand and darted back to the barely lit streets of Paris.

When he arrived at camp, he bent over panting. He had made it back without being chased by anyone, being yelled at or accused of any crime. It must not have been stolen goods. It really must have just been a gift. He stopped panting and looked at the sack. _But who would give a gift to a 'gyspy'?_ He wondered.

The sun was hitting the horizon now. Its rays reached out to the sky telling the moon and the stars that it was time for them to rest. Its light crept along the outskirts of the town, first giving light to the farmers and their fields, then reaching over the trees and into the city. He noticed as he glanced at came that Kezia was no longer sleeping. In fact, Hagi couldn't see her started to quickly search the nearby alleys, shrubbery, and streets for her.

"Hagi," she whispered from by the river. He spun around to find her now under the once empty street light. "Where did you go? I couldn't find you." There was a dash of worry in her voice, but her face remained somber.

Hagi remained silent. He didn't like making her worry or seeing her brow wrinkle up with confusion. He strolled over to her and took her hand. A bit of shock and embarrassment brushed over her features before returning to normal. He placed in her hand the bag the nun had given him. Kezia looked at him questioningly before inspecting it. She crouched down under the street lamp placing the cloth on the ground. She untied the bow at the top as Hagi peered over her shoulder, to reveal a plethora of food. It contained a few loaves of bread, a couple of apples, a bunch of grapes, along with a block of cheese. Their eyes widen in excitement and hunger.

"Wow, Hagi, where did you get this from?" She asked curiously before her face turned sour. "You stole them, didn't you?" She started to tie up the bag. "I can't believe you, Hagi! How could you resort to stealing? I know we are all hungry but we aren't that type of people." Hagi was shaking his head as he held up his hands while she spun to face him. She shoved the bag at him. "You need to return this right away to where you got it from."

"But I didn't steal it!" Hagi yelped as his voice broke. "A kind old lady gave it to me. She lives here." He searched his pockets for the piece of paper containing the directions and address to the church. When he found it, he thrust it at her proving his innocence. She inspected the paper before believing his story. She gently held out the paper and he placed it back into his pocket.

"A man offered to help if I needed anything. When I went there, they offered me some food. They know what we are Kezia and yet they still gave us food!" Hagi's eyes twinkled with happiness and Kezia couldn't help but smile.

"Oh, fine." She huffed, but Hagi just kept smiling at her. "We should wake up everyone now and let them know." Hagi nodded in agreement as some of the troop had already started to wake.

When they did Hagi explained about his adventure and how they gave him some food. He was sure to add in that he did not steal it. Everyone had gathered around the lovely cloth sack as he untied it exposing the food for all to see. There were many gasps and yells of excitement.

"Oh, this is wonderful!" One of them cried out.

"What glorious food!" Exclaimed another.

"But shouldn't his family have the pick of the food?" The old storyteller wheezed sternly. The others around her nodded in agreement deciding it was for the best. The bag was handed over to Hagi's father. He stared down at the appetizing food, uncertain of what to do. His mother seemed to be disoriented by this auspicious endowment. Hagi stepped forward and started handing out a loaf of bread to each family, along with an apple, a few grapes and some cheese. His parents' hearts melted. They were astounded by his generosity. How their son, who had nothing most of his life, could give so freely and willingly to all those around him. At that moment, they were truly proud of their little boy.

Kezia knew that with so many in her aunt's family and being given food last, she would not get much at all but she still sat down patiently waiting for her portion of food. Hagi knew this all too well.

"Kezia." Her head popped up from its dreary position when he spoke. "You can eat with my family." She quickly glanced at his parents who nodded in agreement. Her face lit up like a freshly struck match. She dashed over and received a fourth of a loaf of bread, a few bites of their apple, a couple of grapes, and a slice of cheese. Hagi could see she was in heaven and all he could do was smile.


	3. Chapter 3 - A Thief in the Night

_Author's Notes: Well that wraps everything up. It's a pretty long chapter but it concludes the story. I do apologize for taking so long but NaNoWriMo had all of my attention for awhile. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please send me a review and let me know what you think. Thank you to those who followed and favorited. That means a lot. If there is another Blood+ story you'd like me to do please shoot me a PM and I can set it up. _

Chapter 3 – A Thief in the Night

In the fading light, the stone stairs squished under his feet as Hagi stepped closer to the door. It had been a long while since he had stood on these steps. The freezing wind kicked up and he shivered. Fall had been slowly setting in and the nights had begun to grow colder.

He stood at the door pensively. He couldn't decide if he wanted to knock or not. He could remember the last time he came here and how the kind old lady handed him a bag of food. That food not only fed the whole group, but revitalized them to believe in themselves. Since then many in the group had started to put more effort into plays, songs and dances. But even with the better attempts, the money barely rose as it was not enough for their daily needs.

He surveyed the door before resting his fist against it. He took a deep breath and went in for a strike but the door opened with a creak. Two women conversing, who looked as if they were about to leave, stopped and stared blankly at him.

"Oh!" The first nun said. She was much younger than the others he had encountered. She had long blond hair that peaked out from under her habit.

"Hello, young lad. Please come in." The second nun, the older one he knew, opened the door further and gestured for him to go inside. "We may be leaving but, father, he would love to see you." Hagi had met many of the nuns and this 'father' on streets helping the poor and feeding the hungry. They were as much of outcasts as he was. The guards did not like them, so they normally traveled out at night.

Hagi quickly stepped inside moving out of the way of the two ladies as they hurried off towards the heart of Paris. His eyes examined the room; it appeared dusty and unkempt but it had a warm and soothing feel. He started to walk around inspecting some of the items left out. He reached for a book on the table. It was warn and had multiple markers protruding from its pages.

"Hello there, young sir." Hagi was startled by the man's hoarse hello. He promptly nodded removing his hand from the book. "What can I help you with?" Hagi glanced over his shoulder and around the room momentarily before laying his eyes on the man.

"I need shoes." The man's gaze went down to look at Hagi's shoes, which while too large for him, they were in surprisingly good shape. "No," Hagi corrected. "Not for me, for my friend. Her shoes are filled with holes and now with the wet weather they are coming undone."

"Ahh… I see." The man accepted his explanation with a nod. "What size is your friend?"

"_Size?_" Hagi questioned.

"How big are her feet?"

"Her feet are this big." Hagi held out his hands inches apart from each other. The priest wrote the approximate size down on a piece of parchment.

"Come back tomorrow. I will have to go through our collection bins. We will check to see if we have any. If not, we will ask around for donations." He paused for a moment. "Is there anything else you need?" Hagi started to shake his head and then stopped.

"I need something special." Hagi leaned close to the man and whispered into his ear. The man looked shocked for a second and then a smile grew on his face.

"I understand."

::::::::::

Hagi's heart beat with excitement as he headed off to meet up with Kezia. He couldn't wait for tomorrow. He was so happy that he couldn't contain his enthusiasm as he ran, to the point, he was almost skipping. Suddenly there stood a dark figure. Hagi skidded to a stop. Down the darkly lit road stood a figure the same one he had seen that day. He backed up slowly, but the heel of his shoe caught the cobblestone sending him tumbling backwards to the ground. The figure moved closer but it paused. Hagi could hear footsteps approaching from the right. He whipped his head towards the sound to see Kezia hurrying towards him. He thrashed his head back in panic to the direction of the figure, but to his astonishment it was gone. Hagi was panting loudly.

"Is everything okay?" Kezia asked as he stood up. "When you didn't show up, I thought I'd come and try to find you. Then I saw you on the ground looking frightened, I ran as fast as I could." She peered down the long empty road.

"There was someone there… with bright red eyes." Hagi said.

"You mean that same man you saw when you first came here?" Kezia asked.

"Yeah." All Hagi could utter as he stood in confusion. _Who was he?_

Hagi and Kezia slowly headed towards the river. They walked onto a bridge and stopped in the middle of it to admire the flowing water beneath them. Hagi leaned his elbows on the railing as he made a fist with both hands placing his head on top of them. Kezia rested her folded arms on the barrier.

"Isn't it so peaceful? The view is simply stunning." Kezia said as she gazed into the water, but Hagi wasn't looking down; he was staring at her. She was absolutely breathtaking to him.

"Yeah." He sighed with a smile. Kezia caught him staring and looked away blushing.

"Hagi?" She asked. "Why are you so nice to me?" She laid her head down on her arms.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, I know you are nice to everyone, it's just in your nature, but you've been really _nice_ to me. I don't deserve it; I never did anything nice to you."

"That's not true." Hagi turned gazing out over the river into the darkness. "When I first came here, I was alone and scared. You were the first person to talk to me. You made me feel at home."

_Home_. Hagi repeated to himself. _I feel at home when I am with her._

After what seemed like an eternity in silence, they started to head back to camp. He held her hand the whole way. As they were walking, he could hear someone following them. Every once in a while, he'd see a figure off in the distance or if he peered down an alleyway he'd see red eyes. He started quickening his pace.

"What's wrong?" Kezia asked, but he was too frightened to answer. At every turn, every crossroad, every empty space that man was there. At times he seemed closer, others farther away. He was faster than they could ever be. Hagi felt haunted, stalked and completely trapped. They ran and ran for what seemed like hours. Then Kezia came to a dead stop, Hagi jerked forward.

"What? What is it?" He inquired exasperated.

"Camp." She pointed at the campsite only a hundred feet away. They bolted as fast as they could. Hagi could feel breathing on the back of his neck; his hair stood on end. They didn't turn around until they were in the fire's light.

As he pivoted, he saw that there was no one there. It was just an empty street. Everyone murmured around them, but he knew, he knew he was out there watching.

::::::::::

Hagi arrived at the church the next evening, and there waiting for him was the priest. His face was beaming with joy as he handed Hagi a pair of fine brown leather boots. They were worn with scuff marks but they didn't have a single hole and were very sturdy. He was sure they would last her years. 'Father' also held out a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Hagi took them with a smile lightly sniffing them. The priest ruffled Hagi's hair before waving him on. Hagi nodded at him and turned with a quick hop heading down the stairs.

_The market place._ He thought. He wanted to show his parents before he'd head over to meet up with Kezia at their favorite spot. He hurried so quickly at one point he dropped the boots. He pivoted to pick them up but as he did he noticed a pair of red eyes gleaming back at him. When he looked for them they were gone. He swiftly grabbed the boots and ran. He shook off the eerie feeling as he headed in to the market place. His eyes scanned the crowd until he spotted a middle-aged couple. He rushed to them greeting them with a smile.

"Look what I got Kezia!" Hagi held out his gifts with happiness. "The priest helped me get them. I've got something special planned for her tonight." His parent smiled at him so proud of their son, but tears started to well up in their eyes.

"Hagi, come here for a moment." His mother cooed. She hugged him dearly and walked him over to a more secluded place. His father ruffled his hair and then patted him on the shoulder. Hagi saw coming down the path along the side of a building, the man in the deep wine colored suit, but his eyes were a dark blue. He could have sworn it was the same man. As the man grew closer Hagi's fear welled up inside of him.

"Hagi don't worry, they will take good care of you." His father said strongly as the tears fell down his cheek. Hagi looked up at him before he was grabbed by a man dressed in a black and white outfit, something a butler or a servant would wear. Out of Hagi's hands fell the flowers and the boots. He struggled to pick them up but as the man walked towards him he smashed the flowers, giving the smirk Hagi had seen before and he swore he saw a flash of red.

Hagi was tossed into the carriage with a loud thud. He scrambled to his feet reaching out the cabin's window. He watched as the man threw his family a loaf of bread, turning and heading towards him.

"Mom! Dad!" Hagi cried out, but they could not lift their heads to look at him. "Mom! Dad!" He kept screaming as the butler tried to hold him down. The aristocratic man got inside the carriage forcing Hagi into his seat with one hand.

After the man was seated, Hagi rushed back to the window and screamed one last time to his parents. He told him that he loved them. They never moved in their agony; they couldn't watch their son being taken away.

In the distance, one of the nuns from the church had witnessed what had happened and she hurried away.

::::::::::

Hagi could hear the creaking of the wooden wheels against the stone road beneath them. The seat was plush and soft as if he was being slowly sucked into it. But he couldn't focus on the pleasures of the cart; his tears were flowing so fast they had already soaked part of his shorts. He had just been torn from everything he loved to live a life he never wanted to lead. He just wanted his family and Kezia to be happy. He clutched his shorts tightly in his fists as the tears splattered on the back of his hand.

"What's your name boy?" The refined middle-aged man asked.

"Hagi." He answered sourly wiping the tears from his eyes with his sleeve. He sad up proudly, trying to keep his lips from quivering.

"Well then, _Hagi_, you are to become a good _friend_ of a girl named Saya." Amshel explained. "You are to do _whatever_ you can to become her friend. Or your family will have some… serious problems." His eyes started to glow red. "Understood?"

Hagi cringed and then gritted his teeth.

"Why me?" He winced.

"Because I had to find a boy who could disappear from this earth and never be missed." Amshel's smirk gleamed in the dimming light. The carriage fell silent for the remainder of the ride.

* * *

Hagi gently caressed the closed casket that held Saya. It had been fifteen years since she fell asleep. He wondered if she'd sleep forever. Hagi had been sitting there for such a long time. He had plenty of time trying to figure out what to do with himself, but he was alone, always alone. He decided this one time out wouldn't hurt her at all. He needed some time to breathe.

After wandering the countryside for a while, he wound up on the familiar streets of Paris during the night as everyone slept. He loved listening to the soft cries of the night, the rushing of the river, and the smell of dew. As he was walking, he heard a familiar voice off in the distance. He quickened his pace through alleyways and corridors until he wandered in on a campfire surrounded by children. Just like the ones he used to sit around. And there stood a woman, a new woman, characterizing the storyteller. He knew that face, it was Kezia.

Hagi stepped out from the shadows. To them he was a looming figure, the children got frightened and dashed behind Kezia. She quickly stood up and brandished a knife.

"Stay back!" Kezia ordered as Hagi froze. He instinctively held up his hands and shook his head. She immediately remembered the night he had brought home food. It was the same motion Hagi always did. She stepped closer.

"Hagi?" She breathed, tears starting to fill her eyes.

"Kezia-." Hagi uttered. He never thought he'd see her again. He stepped slowly closer so his face was illuminated by the fire light.

"Hagi!" She exclaimed. She ran forward dropping the knife to the ground and flinging her arms around his neck. "I'm so happy to see you." She started crying into his shoulder.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. He let out a sigh. He was home.

::::::::::

After a few moments together, they left the edge of town for their favorite spot in all of Paris, the side opposite to the park that overlooked the Seine River. As they sat together, he noticed she was wearing a familiar pair of boots he remembered dropping in the alleyway as he was dragged away.

"After you were taken, the kind priest found me. He handed me a pair of boots and told me everything that had happened." She paused for a moment. "Including the proposal you had planned." A blush fell over her face and then it was struck sadness. "I waited for you, ya know?" She sighed.

"Kezia." Hagi whispered in absolute despair. He could never be with her. His life would never be the same and now, he had Saya.

"You've been gone for so long. What has it been twenty-five years? And look at you; you look as if you stopped aging." She remarked.

Hagi contemplated what to say to her for a long time as he gazed at the grass beneath their feet. He didn't know whether or not to tell her the journey he had with Saya or that he was no longer human. And he was sure that if she saw him often enough, she'd come to realize he was different. So instead he decided to change the subject.

"Kezia, how are my parents doing?" He asked gently. He had been wondering this for a long while, but Kezia fell silent and his fears soon surfaced.

"Shortly after you left, they disappeared. They took nothing with them, not even a loaf of bread. They left their cart and all of their belongings to me. I found a note that read: 'Without our son we have nothing not even the joy in our hearts. We hope and pray now he has a better life.' " Kezia explained.

Hagi's eyes grew in sadness. As the pain grew in his heart, he decided to console in her; he would tell her everything. Tell her about Saya, about Joel, about everything that happened at the Zoo and the fact that he was now a monster. Kezia did not utter a single word, express any emotion or provide any acknowledgement as she listened. She nodded only once as he finished and then there was silence.

They sat there, staring out into the same black abyss there was so many years ago. Nothing much had changed in Paris' nights. The city may have grown and buildings built but still the silence was eerily familiar, but it was broken as Kezia opened her mouth.

"I understand." She nodded and paused slowly articulating her words. "So you're a _Mulo_?"

Hagi took a breath in and then nodded reluctantly. To his surprise, Kezia leaned against his shoulder.

"Don't think this will make me think any less of you, my Hagi. You still are the only one to hold my heart." She closed her eyes. "Plus you don't seem like a _Mulo_ to me."

* * *

Hagi visited her each time Saya had fallen asleep. She had grown older now and had become very frail. Each time he saw her it was if he was brought back into the past. Her smiling face never ceased to amaze him and she always made him laugh. But there was a darker side to each of his visits, she never ended up marrying, so she never had children of her own.

One day when he visited, she had adopted two orphans, Angelo and Tanya. While they knew she wasn't their mother, they still called her 'mom.' Eventually, they went off and had children of their own, never forgetting her. They were thankful for her until the day they died.

Hagi's visit came during Saya's second hibernation period. He happily greeted her as if he had only left to go to the market. There was almost a skip in his step. He told her about his travels to Russia and about Saya, never sparing a detail and she never told a soul. While he was talking to her, he noticed that she was still wearing the same pair of boots he got her so many years ago. They were now very worn and had holes in them. As he was talking of his travels, she yawned and leaned against his shoulder closing her eyes. He talked a little while more before pausing and looking down at her. Tears welled up in his eyes; he knew she wasn't sleeping.

He wrapped his arms around her for the last time carrying her with the utmost care. He stepped up the concrete stairs to a familiar door. He carefully knocked. There answered a weathered old nun with long graying hair. He knew her well. She smiled sadly opening the door and stepping out of the way.

When the day of the funeral came, many of her family visited including her cousins and their children and grandchildren whom she never liked, though she would be happy with so many people being there for her death. Since she had little family the funeral was smaller than normal but they brought all of her possessions and a cartful of flowers. She was dressed in her finest clothing but her boots were not changed. They buried many items with her and burned the rest. She was laid in the ground and while the others left Hagi stayed for a while lighting candles and watching over her as she 'slept'.

* * *

Hagi stood in a courtyard over run by grass and weeds. The autumn sun glistened and the plants were starting to brown. He bent over clearing a gravestone that read "Here lies Kezia 1859-1931". He stood up staring sullenly down at the marker. He turned around picking up a bouquet of flowers and setting them on her grave. It was the same type of flowers used in the bouquet he was going to give her that night. He sat back on a headstone and picked up his cello placing the bow to the strings.


End file.
